Combination pocket lighter and cigarette inclosing device



March 10, 1936. w. A. DION 2,033,184

COMBINATION POCKET LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE INOLOSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 15, 1930 mLL/AM ALEXANDER 0/0 INVENTOR ATTORNEY:

Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLIBINATION POCKET LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE INCLOSING DEVICE Application January 15, 1930, Serial No. 420,861

6 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for inclosing cigarettes and the like and particularly to such devices in which there is incorporated a lighter.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and compact article of this class which may be conveniently carried in the pocket. Another object is to provide an article of the above nature which is efficient and dependable in action and may be economically produced.

' Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the draw- Referring to the drawing there is shown a topframe l0 which is adapted to fit about the upper end of a package of cigarettes. This frame .35 comprises a depending flange ll extending about the sides and one end of the package and a corresponding inturned flange I2.

Secured within this frame In is a resilient wire member consisting of parallel side sections l3 connected at one end by a transverse section M, the forward ends of the sections l3 forming depending loops l5 connected at their rear end by a transverse section l6.

A cover member I! is hingedly mounted at its .45 rear end on the transverse section M of the wire member and the marginal portions along the sides of this cover member are adapted to rest on the corresponding flanges I2 of the frame l0 when the cover is in closed position. At the forv50 ward end of the cover member is a depending flange l8 similar to the flange II on the frame l0 and this flange is adapted to enter between the free front ends of this frame as the cover is lowered and upon the completion of the closing acts with the frame to completely envelope the upper end of the package of cigarettes. In the construction shown this flange I8 is formed on one end of a plate l9 soldered or otherwise fastened to the under face of the cover member ll.

To the under face of the cover member I! at its rearward end is secured by solder or otherwise a plate 2! from which are struck loops 22 which envelope the transverse section M of the wire member to form the hinge connection between the cover and the frame. A portion of this plate 2| extends downwardly from the cover member and is provided at its lower edge with a loop 23 which envelopes the transverse section I6 of the resilient member. Lifting of the cover causes the plate 2| to swing inwardly about the axis of the section [4 and to carry with it the rear portion of the loops l5 against the resistance of the spring metal or, in other words, this movement of the cover compresses these loops as indicated in dot in Fig. 3. On release of the cover, the resiliency of the loops automatically causes the cover to close. In the same manner, manual compression of the loops causes the cover to be lifted, and upon release of the pressure the cover is automatically closed. Normally these loops act to hold the cover tightly closed. This pressing action to lift the cover may be accomplished by grasping the package in one hand and squeezing the same between the fingers and thumb sufficiently to cause the rear portion of the loop to be drawn toward the forward portion. The position of the cover is a function of the angular relation of the hinge loops 22 and 23, and the tension of the loops l5 constitutes spring means to close the cover when it has been opened.

Any tendency of the cigarettes to become jammed in the front end of the package due to the forward movement of the rear portion of the loops and particularly the section l6 during the lifting of the cover is eliminated by the absence of any frame member across the front end of the package. This is due mainly to the fact that the flexible package is permitted to bulge sufliciently through this end to enable the cigarettes to be readily withdrawn. As soon as the pressure is released, the flange l8 on the cover will cause the package to return to its normal form and position and will act to adequately suppor it at this point.

The central portion of the cover member is cut away to form an opening 24 in which is placed a lighter unit 25 of suitable type. This lighter may be held in place within the opening by solder or in any other convenient manner. Openings 26 passes to the left of the pivot l6.

1% in a vest pocket.

and 21 are provided in the bottom of the lighter unit to permit sparking elements and fuel respectively to be inserted in the lighter. These openings may be closed by the usual screw caps or plugs 23 and 29 and convenient access may be obtained thereto when the cover member I! is in raised position. The lighter construction shown is of the automatic type in which a sparking wheel 30 and snuffer 3| are actuated by manual pressure on an operating lever 32. A burner 33 is normally covered by the snuffer 3| and is provided with a wick 34 extending into the usual fuel receptacle within the body of the lighter.

When the device is applied to a package of cigarettes as 35 from which the top has been removed, the loops l are slid downwardly and between the side walls of the package and the cigarettes until the upper edge of the package is substantially in contact with the under face of the inturned flanges l2 and between the dependlng flanges H and the Wire sections I3.

To actuate the lighter mechanism, the finger piece 32 is depressed, preferably with the thumb, the cigarette package 35 forming a grip for the hand. When the finger piece is depressed, the snuffer 3i rises, and the sparking wheel is 1'0- t-ated, both actions being effected by means of actuating mechanism connected to 'the finger piece, which actuating mechanism is not shown, as this lighter mechanism per se was, at the date of filing of this application, readily indentifiable to all those skilled in this art as a known commercial product. Rotation of the sparking wheel lights the wick 3 3, which is' then uncovered, and to extinguish the flame the finger piece is released, whereupon a spring returns the snuffer 3| and finger piece 32 to the position shown in the drawing.

The finger piece 32 is, in this particular embodiment of the invention, journaled at the axis of the sparking wheel 33, and accordingly downward pressure thereof has no tendency toopen the cigarette compartment, as the line of pressure The package may be gripped with the hand, and thereupon the cover member ll raised by a squeezing action, and allowed to close again by simply releasing the pressure, and without shifting the grip at all (simply moving the thumb up and over the finger piece 32) the wick 34 may be ignited, and also thereafter extinguished by merely relaxing the thumb pressure on the finger piece 32. Thus the device is characterized by finger pressure to open the cigarette compartment, and finger pressure to ignite the lighter, both being returned to normal position simply by relaxing the grip. It will be additionally noted that when the cover I1 is up, as shown in Figure 3, the lighter and fuel tank by reason of gravity tend to keep it open, and the spring pressure of the loops I5 is preferably such that the cover is in substantially neutral equilibrium when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 (dotted line position of the cover) so that the cover will stay open with little or no pressure, but a slight inclination or mere movement of the entire device serves to cause the cover to close, the grip being relaxed.

The article is a very compact cigarette container and lighter, by reason of the fact that the cigarettes are disposed vertically therein, and there are no sideways projecting parts to catch in the pocket, the entire device being adapted to It will be noted that the filling opening 2! and the sparking material opening 26 are readily available when the cover is in the open position, and to avoid spilling fuel on the cigarettes the device may be inverted so that the cover plate I1 is horizontal but with the openings facing upwardly. The device can be held in this position without any effort by reason of the weight of the lighter mechanism and the fuel tank.

When the wick 34 is lit, the flame is well away from the thumb which actuates the finger piece 32, and by reason of the height of the burner 33 above the cigarette package 35, the flame is also far removed from the forefinger gripping the cigarette package. The entire article is characterized by ease of operation as it is large enough to be easily gripped with an open and firm grip permitting a strong finger pressure to be exerted against the finger piece 32 (preferably with the thumb as aforesaid), and at the same time the part used as a hand grip is given the additional function of holding the cigarettes.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the entire device is simple and compact in construction and may be conveniently carried in the pocket. The device is eflicient and dependable in action and may be economically produced. While a particular type of lighter unit has been illustrated and described it will be obvious that any other suitable form of lighter construction having the capabilities indicated may be used.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and that the entire device is of an essentially practical nature.

As many other embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes may be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a flexible receptacle for cigarettes, a frame member adapted to partially encompass the upper marginal portion of said receptacle, a flat plate constituting a cover for said receptacle and hingedly secured to said frame member, resilient means controlling the position of said plate with relation to said receptacle, a lighter on said plate having filling openings extending through said plate both for pyrophoric metal and for fuel, and closures for said openlngs.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, a cigarette holder including a pair of spaced loops said loops being disconnected, a hinged element connected to the free ends of said loops, a cover attached to the hinged element, whereby upon compressing the loops-in the planes thereof the 'cover is swung open, and a lighter unit mounted on said cover and including an operating lever actuated by manual pressure at that end of the cover adjacent the free ends of the loops, and having a snuffer and burner at the other end, whereby the device may be grasped with one hand and by a squeezing motion the cover is opened and when the grip is released the cover closes and in such position the finger piece is available for actuation by the thumb without changing the grip.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, means to hold a plurality of cigarettes said means being substantially a rectangular parallelepiped in outline and being resilient and capable of having its back wall compressed towards its front wall near the top portions of said walls, a cover for said means com-. pleting the parallelepiped on top, connections between the means and the cover constituting a hinge for the cover and so formed that upon squeezing the back of the parallelepiped toward the front the cover is swung open, the resiliency of the means urging the cover into closed position, and lighter means carried by the cover and including a depressible finger piece at that end of the cover at which it is hinged to the means and a burner spaced therefrom toward the other end.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a fuel tank, a cigarette compartment connected to said fuel tank, a cover for said cigarette compartment hinged thereto, a depressible finger piece mounted on said fuel tank, a wick extending into said fuel tank, a snuiier for said wick connected to be actuated by said finger piece, spring means to close said cover, means operable by finger pressure for opposing said spring means, and for thereby efiecting opening of said cover and acting when released to permit said spring means to close said cover, and spring means opposing depression of said finger piece by finger pressure and acting when released to close said snuffer, said finger piece and said finger pressure operable means being adjacent each other so that the cover may be opened by finger pressure and closed again by relaxing said finger pressure and said wick may be ignited by finger pressure without shifting the grip and extinguished again by relaxing the pressure.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a handle or grip-like casing member dimensioned to contain cigarettes and to lie in and be gripped by the hand, lighter means supported by said handle-casing member on the upper end thereof, said lighter means including a manually operable finger piece positioned at that end of the upper end of said handle-casing member as to be easily reached and operable by the thumb when said handle-casing member is gripped by the hand, a closure member for said handle-casing member and operable into an open position with respect to said casing member in a direction away from said handle-casing member and those portions of the hand gripping the same, and means responsive to the exertion of finger pressure inwardly of said handle-casing member for opening said closure member, said means being operable Without substantially changing the grip of the hand upon said handlecasing member, said casing member including means for maintaining said closure member in closed relation with respect to said casing member when finger pressure is not exerted on said casing member, whereby said casing member may be opened to obtain a cigarette, closed after obtaining the cigarette, and the lighter immediately operated thereafter all by one hand without substantially changing the grip on said handlecasing member.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a handle or grip-like casing member dimensioned to contain cigarettes and to lie in and be gripped by the hand, lighter means supported by said handle-casing member on the upper end thereof, said lighter means including a manually operable fingerpiece positioned at that end of the upper end of said handle-casing member as to be easily reached and operable by the thumb when said handle-casing member is gripped by the hand, a closure member for said handle-casing member and operable into an open position with respect to said casing member in a 7 direction away from said handle-casing member and those portions of the hand gripping the same, and means responsive to the exertion of finger pressure upon said handle-casing member for opening said closure member, said means being operable without substantially changing the grip of the hand upon said handle-casing member, said casing member including means for maintaining said closure member in closed relation with respect to said casing member when finger pressure is not exerted on said casing member, whereby said casing member may be opened to obtain a cigarette, closed after obtaining the cigarette upon the release of the finger pressure exerted for opening said casing member, and the lighter immediately operated thereafter all by one hand without substantially changing the grip on said handle-casing member.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER DION. 

